Percy Jackson Revealed
by JusticeNotRevenge
Summary: Gaia bounds the Mist for a while and after that, the world continues to see what they hadn't in millennium. How does this effect a battle-hardened Percy Jackson and his mortal life? (Full summary inside)
1. Evolution(I)

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters that are also mentioned at the (how many of those has Rick blessed us with?) series of Rick Riordan.**

**Super minor edit:10/06/2020**

**_Summary start._ **After the Second Giant War, and Gaia being put back to sleep, things had changed.

The Primordial had tried to leave with everlasting damage happening all over the place(: world) and what better way to do that than without proving to everyone she was indeed related to Zeus, Apollo, and Dionysus, some of the most dramatic gods. Her plan was to bind the Mist with all her strength for a month or three. After that, since the Mist shows mortals what they are prepared to believe and the world of the Greco-Roman Pantheon had been revealed, the mortals would be fully prepared to believe everything. Nothing would ever be the same.

In this story we see Percy going back to Goode after the Reveal. Now, something I haven't read in many fanfics is what happens next. Okay, he is a demigod and at first, some people freak and stuff...then what?

In this story, I write how the mortals learn why he is a hero and how he became one. They learn what he is fighting for and try to bring out his character. They try to help the war veteran overcome his horrors and gain something more to fight for... Under the guidance of Hestia, the mortals will try but will they actually succeed in proving that their classmate isn't just the empty shell of who he used to be? **_Summary en_d.**

**This is just a basic outline of everything. If you find any mistakes I would love it for you to point them out. I am in fact not a native English speaker.**

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Moments before her sleep and the end of the Second Giant War, knowing her demise was near, Gaia used the last of her powers to destroy the Mist. It was hard for everyone to adapt in a world without the pressure veil separating one reality into two worlds. Everyone -demigods, mortals, satyrs, nymphs, even gods- was shocked. It took one very intense conversation between the sky lord and his wisest daughter for an acceptable answer to this problem to be issued.

An event that would later one be referred to as "The Reveal" occurred. The revelation that the pantheon of the Ancient Greeks and Romans was not merely mythology and fairy tails.

The goddess of spirit, trust, and honesty was the bearer of the news. Bound to her domains, Pistis spoke of monsters, Titans, and Giants. She spoke of the monstrous deeds they have done but made a point of the ones that are peaceful and not evil. She mentioned heroes, old to separate the reality from the myth, and new to assure all that there were still heroes ready to fight for what is just.

Demigods were a controversial subject. Pistis assured all that like mortals some are good and some are bad. Some hold unimaginable power, some do not. All are half-mortal and all are alike mortals.

There were several days, in which the mortals were suspicious of and hostile to demigods. Children that have killed. Killers, they were thought to be.

It was Annabeth Chase's plan which brought peace. In close collaboration with the goddess of honesty, herself, demigods who had no qualms with being known as demigods spoke of their deeds regarding humanity and civilization, both bad and good

It was a fact that, at that moment, mortals recognized demigods as allies. Heroes who were ready to die so that others could live.

Left in their awe for the selfless acts _children_ daily made, the mortals were nearing hero-worship. Forever ready to knock people out of their fantasy-land, Clarisse La Rue spoke.

She told them about how she herself used to be a bully, how demigods had done the worst, how their action had cost various lives.

Finally beginning to see the world for what it is, nearly two months after the Reveal, all mortal governments from all around the globe made the start to a long line of changes to their nations.

To the school curriculum, a subject called _Ancient Pantheons: Greece and Rome _was added to educate the youth. All the information regarding the subject was available from the internet and in public libraries, to educate all mortals who wished it and had already finished their studies.

The result was nothing even Apollo himself would have ever predicted.

Apparently, the knowledge that people, possibly half your age, had fought to save your oblivious behinds, made people want to become saving worthy. It wasn't all over, humanity was far from perfect and it might lead to a lot of new troubles but slowly and steadily more and more people started to think. To think about their future, about their actions...

There will always be those people, no matter what they are called, be it liars, bullies or so much more. The number of them could be decreased, though.

The change was there.

A new era had begun and it would make the Enlightenment seem like a child's play. Gods and goddesses, immortals of all shapes and forms, mortals and half-bloods, all bore some purpose in the new era. An era in which mankind would thrive for the better with renewed tries.

Evolution.

It always brought good and evil.

Just... good and evil of higher class.


	2. Burns(II)

**Super minor edit:10/06/2020**

**Please _kindly _inform me of any and all mistakes I make.**

**A few extra information: Percy and Annabeth dating doesn't matter in this story. I don't plan to pay any attention to romantic relationships in this fic. You can say that they are dating but need a bit more space to process everything if it helps you.**

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"Even though the fire has been put out the burns are still visible"

-_Anonymous_-

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Percy Jackson has always been a mysterious subject at Goode High. Students and teachers alike always wondered a lot about the mystery boy named after the Greek demigod son of Zeus. He wasn't overly popular in his first year in the school but there was something in him that caused him to stand out. Many thought it was the combination of his unique character and looks.

They weren't wrong.

He came back for his senior year and it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was socializing quite more and once they got to know him a bit, his new friends agreed that he was the most hilarious and friendly person in the world.

Then one day he just didn't come. One day became one week and that became a full month. Percy hadn't invited them to his house or his parents so there was no one to ask.

Eventually, they found out that their English teacher was his stepfather and asked about their missing friend. The man's words were meant to be calming and reassuring but he looked too scared and worried to manage it. A family emergency he had told them. From his father's side.

Percy missed the rest of the year.

At the beginning of the next year, he was there, though. And his friends couldn't have been more relieved because they knew. The Reveal had opened their eyes to everything he had said. He was a demigod. That much was sure.

From the way he had left, he had been doing something extremely dangerous and his friends, though they knew they weren't that close to him, couldn't help but worry.

Percy drove his car to the free parking lot he saw. It wasn't quite in front of the school but his blue Maserati still attracted attention.

It was a gift from his father.

Apparently, the sea god knew that since he couldn't be with Percy to help him heal, he could help him with his material needs. Not exactly what the god wanted but it was the best he could do.

The car had appeared on the road outside Camp one day and the keys in Percy's cabin. He learned to drive during the summer.

Healing from the war and hell was one of -if not the- hardest things Percy had ever done. There were times when he just wanted to get away. Normally that was when he went to the lake and submerged himself in the water for as long as he wanted. Sometimes he didn't want to get away. Those times he wanted to do something normal mortals would do. He wanted to _be _normal, to pretend, even for a few hours. So those were the times when he learned to drive and got his driver's license.

Percy took a deep breath and shouldered his backpack the best way he could while still being inside the car. Opening the car door he sped through the students and managed to keep most of them from seeing his face.

Now as we are all aware, Percy has never been the best at talking with girls. Because of that even though his group consisted of girls he wasn't close to them, so what happened next was quite the surprise to him. Before you learn that, though, you should know more about the group as a whole.

Part of the group were some football and swimming players. Tom Smith and Matt Harrison were the groups' resident swimmers and Jake McCall and John Damon were the groups' football players. Jane McCall, Veronica Mathews, Theodora Luther, and Maxine O'Neal were the girls of the group.

Back to Percy, he was speeding through the hallway to the principal's office to give her his P.E. note. Going through hell really didn't help you with keeping things light at P.E., according to everyone, including the sea's son himself. Especially dodgeball wasn't something PTSD victims usually were joyful to do. Getting hit or nearly hit, even by balls, and hearing shouts were too close to actually battlefields. And that was the case for dodgeball only. There was no telling how war veterans would react to high school Physical Education games, which as it should be noted can be quite aggressive since children having actively fought in wars weren't a part of a classic American teenager's life.

He finally found the door labeled Principal's Office. He slipped inside after hearing the "Come in" to his knock at the door.

Most people would think that Elizabeth Brown was a calm, kind, and extremely passive lady. Liz Brown, a principal for nearly five years and a teacher for at least another ten, was the principal of Goode High for the first year in what was programmed to be at least three.

Her husband was a New York police officer and she could, quite possibly, be more aggressive than him. She was a woman of both letters and actions. She also took no moment in calling bullshit when needed, something that made her both liked by and intimidating to teenagers.

When she found out that there was a whole other world that had been kept hidden for more than two thousand years, she went online and studied all she could. She wanted to be prepared to help her students, colleagues, and friends when it came to the renewed reality they all had to face.

She also made a promise to herself. That she would by no means let any prejudice survive in Goode High. That meant she would be understanding and honest with all of her students, fully mortal or not.

Liz was reminded of that promise when Perseus Jackson walked inside her office. The boy was everything she had expected but not at the same time.

She had expected someone tall and that he was, but he was also crouched. She had expected green eyes and she had seen green eyes, but green in a way she had never seen before.

He gave her a small smile and spoke. His voice was interesting as well. Not too deep but definitely over the childlike tone she still heard in most of her other male students.

"Hi, Mrs. Brown. You, um, you were probably expecting me. I'm Percy Jackson. I wanted to give you my doctor's note about P.E."

"Yes, Percy, I was expecting you. What I wasn't expecting was a doctor's note. May I inquire about the reason for it? I know it will be written in the document, but I'd like to hear it from you."

Liz leveled him with a look that said she would take any answer but all without unnecessary and obvious excuses. Unsurprisingly, the teen didn't seem fazed by her. Their gazes met and she saw in his eyes something, and she couldn't pinpoint what but it made her reconsider her request.

After the consideration she wanted him to answer even more, not as much for her as much for himself.

Maybe it was her but the boy seemed to see that.

"I went through some very bad stuff. My doctor thinks, and I agree, it will be hard for me to tell dodgeball and fighting for my life apart. And... I can be dangerous. So no P.E. for me."

Well, Liz wasn't expecting that at all. She really hadn't known what to expect. Even an actual answer seemed too much.

"Thank you, Percy. You may go now if you wish. Or you could keep me company. Whichever you prefer."

If Percy had thought, he might have stayed with Mrs. Brown instead of facing his peers. He didn't, of course.

Percy followed his heart and gut.

"I think I need to talk to my friends, ma'am. If I survive that maybe we'll talk some other time."

Of course, Percy knew he would survive. He wasn't off the hook, though. He couldn't possibly be that lucky. And, mind you, the fact that he was lucky enough to survive was only because he had gone through everything the fates had put him through, and even they had to give him some time to recover.

How else would he continue being around to be tormented after all?

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**Another note. I'm aware that the driver's license doesn't work like that with minors, but I haven't' decided exactly what to edit to fix this problem. I'm aware, though. Also. Thanks to _Guest No.2_, who called me out on thinking like a Greek while writing in English. It's not "driving diploma". I know. But that's the direct translation to the greek equivalent and my brain got a bit confused when I first wrote that. **


	3. Focus(III)

**Super Minor edits:10/06/2020**

**I hope you enjoy this!**

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_"Patience yields focus"_

_—__Takashi__Shirogane__—_

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It was the first day of school after what, unsurprisingly, had been dubbed the "weirdest" summer in millennials. By most people that is. Jane's group of friends wasn't most people. In fact, they were among the few people who, while fully agreeing with the term "weird", also added two more words to describe that summer, "yet insightful".

And even among those, Jane McCall, Thea Luther, Victoria Mathews, Maxine O'Neal, John Damon, Matt Harrison, Jake McCall, and Tom Smith, knew that the summer had been vastly more insightful to them. Others must have known demigods. Others must have figured out of the non-exclusively mortal status of those demigods. Others must have realized they knew demigods.

For some reason, though, they all felt like the one they knew was different. He didn't stand out like one would think a child of a god would. He didn't seem overly aggressive or passive. Not weirdly knowledgeable or a troublemaker. Perhaps, he was a trouble-magnet but not a troublemaker.

His parentage wasn't easy to find.

They still had no idea. They only supposed that he was important. He was possibly needed so much that he had to leave school when his only chance to get a job laid beside getting his high school diploma.

They probably would have spent their summer freaking out and about like most unaware mortals (read: 99,8% of the mortal population).

But, thankfully, the geeks of the group managed to snap them out of it. Maxine and Matt commonly referred to as M&M, would be damned if they didn't study what they were dealing with. Saying it took them a week to learn the basics was an exaggeration. It took them four days of which the last two were accompanied by the title of "all-nighters".

They spend one more week to pass it through to their friends.

It was only after studying more details when Max found the key to the detonation of the bomb sequence that led to knowledge.

_"[...]Most children of the gods, should they survive, live extremely hard lives. With only one parent and their significant other at best case and no one at worse, some demigods barely reach their preteens. More often than not, they are hunted by monsters. As an outcome of the Mist, they are often blamed for the damage caused, usually by monsters, when trying to survive and save the lives of others.[...]"_

And there it was. That spark in Maxine's eyes. She gathered her friends and on the sunrise of August 18th they knew.

The rest of the month was occupied by an intense game of truth-finding. Figuring the real reasons behind everything they had heard Percy Jackson had ever done.

If anything, this created a need to do more, to be more.

Flash forward to the first day of school.

As Tom had agreed with his parents and girlfriend, he was walking school. With him was his best friend's Jake's, twin sister and Tom's girlfriend, Jane McCall

He was walking on the street of the school only to see many students crowded on the pavement. Slowly making his way there to see what had everyone's attention captured he noticed a boy weaving through the crowd and making his way to the school.

Something about the whole situation felt like it had happened again... A boy running away from the students' crowd...

"Lord Hephaestus almighty... That's a Maserati. A blue Maserati GranTurismo. It has an F136 YQ engine variant... Years 2012 to present day..."

The girl with the wide chocolate eyes and the bemused expression quickly gainedTom's attention.

"Huh? Wait... Maserati. Don't those use Ferrari engines? Aren't they super expensive...?", trailed off the seventeen-year-old in clear confusion.

"Jane... Did you see the guy that sped through the crows? I bet this is his car. Question is how the hell can a teenager afford that...? Like who is that guy?"

The girl, now identified as Jane, huffed at her boyfriend.

"Oh really? Thanks for stating the obvious, Sherlock," a fond smile found its way on her face, " I only saw his back. He obviously has black hair. He's also kind of tall. Like not the tallest but tall enough to be slightly above average. He was also weirdly balanced on his feet..."

Tom noticed the way Jane's eyes seemed to flash in curiosity.

"How so?"

"Well... he weaved through everyone. He didn't push anyone, no one fell, nor did anyone bump on him. He changed the direction he was going the moment he saw someone on his way. Bend his torso to fit through them... No one even realized he was out until he was nearly too far away? I was dazed by watching him do what he did never mind actually doing it..."

"And...?", Tom bated, knowing the girl was not finished.

"It felt like deja-vu... Like I've seen him do that before... Like I know him..."

And Tom knew exactly who it was. It couldn't have been anyone else.

"Gods, he's back. Perce, Percy Jackson. That's who he was.", Veronica exclaimed.

"Wait, what? For real?", Thea looked so bemused that Matt couldn't help the snort that escaped him. He was rewarded with a glare from the hot-temper girl.

"Thea, stand down. No need to kill Matt. It's probably Perce anyways. I'm more curious as to if he will talk to us, or even approach us now that I think about it..."

Apparently, it was one of those days.

The days when Maxine was playing mediator between Matt and Thea, as well as psychoanalyzing any human being that captured her attention. Well, human as in mortal and demigod and, if she felt like it, the occasional god or goddess, as well.

John glanced between Thea and Matt. His friend had a knack for challenging the girl's temper, whether intentionally or not.

He couldn't really be blamed too much. It was a very explosive temper and the girl with the said temper seemed unfamiliar with the word patience.

She was far from perfect but they wouldn't have it any other way. All of them had their odd quirks, hers just seemed to be a bit more flashy.

"John?", Veronica called out.

"Hm? Yeah. Sorry. Zoned out."

John had Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and lately, it had been shining out like a star.

"I figured. So, do you think we should talk to him or should we wait for him to talk to us? And we should look approachable, right? Right?"

The girl with the seemingly endless breath gazed at her friends with curiosity written all over her face.

"I saw him go to the Principal's office. I hope he's alright," admitted Maxine, ignoring the questions her friend had in favor of expressing another problem.

Was Percy alright?

"Wow, wow, wow. Time out, ladies. V, we both know he's smart enough to know whether he can handle us on top of everything. No need to jump ahead and force him to. Let's stick to the approachable thing."

Jake always had a gift for not letting stress it worries get to him. He always made sure to be too preoccupied that he "forgot to stress" in his words.

"Now, about that, Maxine. He's here, isn't he? I don't think anyone would let him be here if he couldn't. He's probably far from alright. But," Jake's serious brown eyes slightly softened, "who knows what he's seen and done... And on that note, I don't think he's looking for a medal to wear. He probably just wants to ignore everything... just wants everyone to ignore everything... to ignore him."

A sense of serenity overtook the group of teenagers, in stark contrast with the hustle characterizing the rest of the students. Almost as if they were protected by the troubles of their peers by an unseen force. Unfazed by the noise and ignorant to time, they relished the tranquility.

The bell rung. It seemed to snap everyone out of their daze.

With sighs, everyone started making their way to class only to be interrupted.

"Great. Now we have to get all the books and, " groaned Maxine, "see most of our old classmates. If not all of them, that is."

With those final words, they broke off to find their classes.


	4. Storm(IV)

**Super minor edits:10/06/2020**

**I hope you like this chapter!**

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_"Boys like him were born in a storm. Chaos in their bones, lightning in their souls, and thunder in their hearts."_

_—Anonymous—_

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Percy was barely out of the Principal's office when the second to last warning bell rang. Both he and Mrs. Brown had nearly forgotten that he needed his schedule, which explained his belated departure from the woman's office.

Thankfully the woman had enough sense to write him a note, excusing him for being late to his first class.

Percy stood outside the now-closed door for a while. Maybe more than strictly necessary but he couldn't know for sure.

It was certainly long enough for someone, or multiple "someones", to see him.

"Hey... Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you here, again." questioned the makeup-wearing pretty girl

"Well, he looks vaguely familiar. Sorry, I mean, you look. Have you been here before?" A tall boy placed himself in front of Percy. He was taller than the demigod. About Jason's height, he noted feeling every bit of nostalgia.

_Now don't get all antisocial, Jackson. Get it together. They just asked basic questions. You can answer them._

"I, uh, I used to go to this school... I just got back..."

Percy let out a sigh that did not go unnoticed by the two teenagers in front of him.

That wasn't so bad, now was it? _Oh, Hades... I just jinxed it_.

"Really? Oh, well, sorry for not recognizing you... I'm Celeste. What's your name, not-newbie?"

The girl, Celeste, gifted him with a bright smile. Just as Percy opened his mouth to answer, the boy took a sharp breath.

"Wait a sec. I know you... Jackson, right? You might not recognize me after all this time. It's Matt. Matt Sloan? Middle school asshole extraordinaire?" Que the awkward laugh.

Normally, that was also Percy's hand's time to find its way to his neck and rub it awkwardly.

After his time with Romans— wolves, demigods, gods, at hell, and in wars, his tells weren't so easy to trigger.

"Sloan...? You... Um, sorry about the nose, I guess. And the, uh, the gym..."

While his tells were subsided, his self-esteem played like a roller coaster. More often than not he turned into an apologizing mess. He had come close enough to death that he constantly wanted to be on good terms with most people and told them what he wanted them to know way faster. So that in case of death he didn't have many regrets of the "I didn't have time to tell" variety. He was tired. Too tired to fight. The one who was too tired, the one who has always fought. The veteran.

And sometimes, the exact opposite happened. Sometimes he excluded confidence that easily allowed him to lead smoothly. Those times he didn't care about dying. He was selfless at best and suicidal at worse. The one ready to fight until his last breath, bracing himself for the worse but also striking for the best. The fighter.

Sloan blinked in confusion.

"What...? Oh, that...?! It's okay, Jackson. I was an ass. The nose thing knocked some sense into me. For real."

The boy smiled.

"Why apologize for that, anyway? It was on me and the invisible person, probably a demigod now that I think about it, who decided to punch me. And I have half a mind that the other team wasn't exactly human, now that I think about it..."

"Matt. You forgot to introduce him, " smoothly interrupted Celeste.

"Actually, I can do that for myself... It's Percy. Percy Jackson."

And the fighter was back. It was a bit crazy and schizophrenic but after all that he had done through, Percy thought he was entitled to carry all particular types of crazy baggage with him.

The couple looked a bit startled at the change of his tone but thankfully didn't make a scene.

"Celeste Granger. Yes, like Hermione. No, positively not a character in the Harry Potter franchise. Now, I saw you standing here and you looked a little lost. Need help to find your class?"

"Which starts in less than five," commented Sloan after a glance at his phone.

"I'm just not used school yet... I think I got it. Mr. Davies is my first. He has his classes go to the auditorium, right?"

Percy unknowingly glued his powerful gaze at the two students in confusion.

"Yeah... Auditorium. We should all get going, by the way. If you want, find us at the cafeteria. See you later"

Celeste started moving away and Sloan was hot on her boots.

_That was...interesting... And disappointing. But maybe _they_ will react better..._

With a shake of his head, the green-eyed student made his way to class.

Three fours of the distance and someone very familiar was heard groaning.

Percy turned and followed the sound avoiding the hoard of teenagers rushing to the lesson.

The plan would have been to avoid them.

The plan would have been to delay the reunion for as long as he could. Anyone would have gone for that. Everyone would have agreed that postponing the reunion was for the best. But once again, Percy is a person of instincts. He usually leaves the planning to others, those better at it. Not that he can't plan. It's just that his plans never work. Or if they do they are extremely insane. It's because he lets himself follow his heart.

Not like that can't bring trouble. Like blowing up Mount Saint Helens.

But sometimes the outcome is amazing. Like falling with Annabeth.

So when he was finally standing in front of a group of eight people -people he hadn't seen in nearly a year, people he used to see every day- he smiled and somehow could feel it was the lopsided grin that was associated with trouble.

_They're my friends. Just like Grover and Rachel.__ And they should know._

And when he was ready, Percy would tell them. He owed them that much. For being there for him when others couldn't. For dealing with the craziness that followed him. And, hopefully, for still considering him a friend after the fiasco Hera pulled. Only they didn't know it was Hera. Or why it had happened. They didn't know he was a demigod.

But he could tell them. It's not like the gods wouldn't have to deal with disastrous consequences if they decide to march against him.

And he looked at the eight people in from of him. There was the fire of power burning inside his sea-green eyes.

In the spirit of honesty, I have to say that the group welcomed the Greek Fire burning in Percy's eyes.

"Hey, guys... I'm back."


	5. Fear (V)

**Super minor edits: 10/06/2020**

**A short reminder because even I forget the last names:**

**Percy's mortal friends that have appeared in this story so far are Jane McCall, Thea Luther, Victoria Mathews, Maxine O'Neal, John Damon, Matt Harrison, Jake McCall, and Tom Smith.**

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_The first rule of truly living is to do the things you're most afraid of._

_-Rebekah Mikaelson-_

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They stared.

For a long awful moment, the only thing any of them could do was stare.

Maxine stared at Percy, sneaking glances at Matt, her features betraying shock and curiosity. Thea stared at Percy, softly murmuring to John about how the situation was unbelievable. Victoria had grabbed Jane from one hand and Jake from the other, rendering her best friends immobile. Percy was staring at Tom, trying to decipher the riddle commonly referred to as his mortal best friend's thought.

"Percy," gasped Thea. "You...you're here..."

One could always be certain of a situation's uniqueness when Matt didn't take the opportunity to irritate Thea with a smartass quip.

"We noticed that, Thea," dryly commented Maxine.

Victoria shifted her focus from the short exchange between her friends to the enigma that stood in front of her. She opened her mouth, surely ready to speak, when-

"Get to class, everyone! The bell has already rung!"

Mrs. Morrison sounded like tomorrow wasn't coming and everyone winced at the loud noise.

That is, everyone but the only person that had spent the majority of the last four months among the harsh and brutal sounds of war.

Maxine sighed in exasperation. "What's it with her? Can't she use her inside voice? Jesus..."

Jake awarded her short speech with an incredulous look. "Jesus? You literally have a demigod in front of you."

That gained Percy's attention quickly enough. "You? How did-? Actually. Later. Does anyone else know? Did you tell anyone?"

Twice in such a short time period, Victoria was interrupted from answering.

"Mathews, please go to class, " Mrs. Morrison waved her hand, indicating to the rest of them. "You as well. And, oh, Jackson. You're back. Don't let us start this year on the wrong foot. Go to class."

They all complied and began walking to class, slowly. "I'll kill her one day, " muttered Thea.

"School shooting," whispered Matt gleefully, his eyes wide and his smile more than slightly psychotic.

Percy laughed. The sound filled the not-so-empty hallways.

If it was a movie or a work of fiction, everyone would stop, they would stare and the laugh would continue echoing.

But in reality, nothing of the sort happened. Not for lack of trying, of course. Jane stopped talking and glued her eyes on Percy. Tom had a dazed look on his face.

"...Well, it's certainly been a while since I've heard _you _laugh."

"Jake! Come on! You can't just say that!"

"It's fine, Victoria."

"No, it's not, Percy. It's not fine nor is it right. Jake, you need to get a grip on yourself..."

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group as they made their way to class.

"My first class is in the auditorium with Mr. Davies... He's the History teacher, right?"

Thankful for the less than subtle ice-breaker, Matt told the demigod that Mr. Davies had switched from Mortal History to Demigod History and took a turn to the right with Jake and Victoria. They weren't even a meter(3.28 feet) away when Victoria and Jake started talking, undoubtedly about the events that had occurred.

Two hallways later, and currently daydreaming, Thea unknowingly took the risk of getting incapacitated by shaking a veteran demigod into reality.

By sheer dumb luck, in close collaboration with the girl's karate training, Thea survived the incident and the two friends silently agreed never to speak of it again.

Percy made his way to the auditorium.

Not even bothering to sneak inside, he prepared himself for the stares that would glue to his frame the minute he entered. The door squeaked and succeeded in making his presence known.

The teacher glanced towards it and silently locked eyes with the dark-haired boy.

"Hello. Is there anything I can help you with?"

He was polite.

Percy had lost count on how many seemingly harmless and polite demigods had tried to kill him in the wars.

"Not really, sir. I'm sorry I'm late. Mrs. Brown gave me a note for you... I just transferred here"

That had been the story he would have followed if the Reveal hadn't happened. The teacher-Mr. Davies- would realize he was lying soon enough but there was no reason to clue the rest of his classmates in. It was bad enough that his teachers, the principal, and his friends knew. Percy couldn't handle any more people in the know.

"You can sit down. Please avoid being late from now on."

"I'll try my best, sir."

"I'm sure you will," Mr. Davies glanced back at the note. "Jackson. Now, to summarize this, it is highly crucial that you pay attention in this class. What I have to teach you is the stuff that you will use in your life, whether you like it or not. And believe me, I know exactly how weird this sounds but I need your attention."

Mr. Davies paused his lecture to scan the crowd of students slouching in front of him. As of that year, there would be a class that talked about how rape victims of the gods turned into monsters and about how those same monsters had no reason not to kill or harm any and all mortals. It all seemed so crazy to the teacher.

How could he look at his students in the eye and tell them that they needed to be _grateful _for the gods' presence when they raped and slaughtered? How could he do such thing when even he, a mere mortal, was nearly certain that it was the _demigods'_ presence he should glorify?

The government was implying that you don't have to be more than just a mortal to be a hero. They urged the youth to be independent of the demigods. But how could they even dream of fighting and winning ancient monsters, when in their classes they weren't even learning the basics of self-defense or how to subdue a (mortal) mugger long enough to run?

In the curriculum he was given, Mr. Davies saw that he was to highlight mortal heroes such as Jason and Odysseus. It was as if the government itself was urging vigilanteism... _As if all this is a movie or a book_, mused the teacher silently.

He paused his scan just as his eyes met the eyes of his new student. _Interesting_, he thought. Green eyes so heavy and yet so light. Eyes that could be both truly mesmerizing and utterly terrifying, Johnathan thought.

Eyes that had evolved so much since the last time Johnathan had seen them months before. Eyes burning with power. Eyes focusing on every movement. The eyes of a storm. Eyes that can instill fear to all.

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**'I hope you liked this chapter! Reviews are welcomed and loved!**

**'Till next time, folks**

**-Lydia**


	6. Smile(VI)

**Hey, everyone. It's been a while, huh? I want to apologize for not responding or updating in all this time. I usually operate via phone when dealing with fics and not writing. You can't respond to comments via phone, though, and I haven't used ffnet in a while. I still get your comments in my email and all the favorites, the follows, and the reviews are starred and all.**

**So, how are you? How are your lives, right now? With covid19 and the mess that is called the United States of America, I can fully say if Armageddon arrives next month, I won't be that surprised. Please take care! Try to be positive, but stay safe, no matter where you are! On happier notes, happy pride!**

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_"I smile to show the pressure of heroes and to trick the fear inside of me."  
_

_-Toshinori Yagi/All Might_

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"The first thing you should learn in this class should have been the hierarchy of this new system. The who-is-who of the most powerful, so to speak."

Mr. Davies scanned his students with a barely concealed sad tint.

"Unfortunately, a lesson like that would beg the question of 'who is the most powerful' and, as such, would possibly...offend... the -uh- powers-that-be," the teacher cleared his throat lightly, "In this class, I will try to teach you about the most popular deities. We'll take a long look at mythology and reassess all we know about Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, we'll even take a look at Virgil's Aeneid. Most of you will also have to take mandatory classes at either Latin, Ancient Greek, or Modern Greek before this semester has ended."

At the sound of groans, the teacher addressed an apologetic smile to his students. "Unfortunately, these somewhat forgotten, or unusual, languages are going to be extremely useful in this new reality we're living in.

"Look, some people wanted me to start teaching you the Iliad in Ancient Greek near the end of the semester, but all of the teachers agree that this is impossible so we're switching to the book the Greek ministry of Education provides its students in 8th Grade. So while you are learning Greek here, most of my colleagues are learning Greek as fast as possible outside their already impressive workload.

"You have no idea, how lucky I feel to have already learned a few things before all this. Now. On with the actual curriculum and then I'll try to answer some of your questions."

As Jonathan Davies continued, one of his students found himself deep in thought. Percy wasn't stupid. He knew things would change. The whole world had been caught unprepared.

He vaguely wondered how things would be in Greece or Italy. Had they even taught much about the gods before the Reveal? How would people react there? He remembered Nico mentioning that Greeks and Italians were mostly Christians. How would they react to being told that their bedtime stories and old myths weren't exactly as mythical as one would like?

_"...that, we'll skip a few chapters and go to page..."_

Those were not even all the questions that are swimming in his head. He was obviously fluent in Ancient Greek and Latin came to him with barely a thought, as well. He couldn't start attending classes as a beginner. It'd be too obvious... Maybe he could start Modern Greek? Annabeth's brother Malcolm mentioned once that he wanted to learn. Maybe it'd come naturally, like the other languages glued into his DNA. Yeah, Modern Greek seemed like his best choice.

_"...fates are very important in the Greek Pantheon. We'll learn all about them then and after, we'll focus on the oaths. Speaking of, you should never under any circumstances swear a binding oath. Most of the time..."_

Or... he could take Latin? He wasn't crazy fluent so hiding that he even was fluent should be easy... And homework would be a breeze for once.

Maybe Annabeth would help him choose? No, she'd go for learning new things... Grover? Maybe Piper McLean or Thalia's brother- Jason? They did save the world together so maybe talking to her wouldn't be that weird after, right? _Wrong, actually. It would be very weird but that has never stopped me before._

Perhaps, talking to his mom was the best thing. _And Grover,_ he amended after a thought.

He tried paying attention to class.

"...questions? Don't hesitate, people. None of these are things you already knew, it makes sense to have all sorts of questions."

_Huh_, Percy thought with a small smile, _I managed to avoid getting called out for not paying attention...That's new._

"Yes?" he said pointing to a girl near Percy.

"Sir, what do we do if we know a demigod? I mean, do we assume they've fought in the -uh- wars? Do we call them out? Say 'I know you're a demigod'. Do we, like, give them space? Ask stuff? Pretend nothing is weird?"

She stopped the influx of questions with her brows furrowed.

Percy squashed the need, the _impulse _to _stop slumping, raise his head, glance at her, console, explain, interpret, convey, smile(it's won't even be fake, he's not in the business of pretending)._

"Those are some interesting questions, Jen," said Mr. Davies.

He leaned against his desk, slightly sitting on it.

"Professionally, I believe you shouldn't act like they're all that different. Treat them as you would anyone else because that's who they are, someone else. It's just a different kind of -well- _different_. Ask them. Did you fight? Do you want me to not bring it up? Like everyone else, some will want to address it, others will shun the idea of it. Some will need a friend, others will need space. You won't know until you ask.

"Privately, I don't want to treat them like nothing is different, but if that's what it takes for them to unwind after all the obligations they've had and all the duties they still have then that's what I'll do."

Percy was kind of impressed. For a mortal, he didn't do half-bad. _Maybe this class is going to be more impressive than I assumed._

A couple of other students asked some inquiries, too. Nothing as world-changing as that first girl, though. The atmosphere was peaceful but exhausting. Most of the class had nearly fallen asleep while the teacher was talking about things that, to their justification, used to be bedtime stories.

"Alright, then. I can see exactly how awake all of you are. You're free to go. Don't disturb any of the other classes, though, or this will be an exclusively one-time thing."

Like a spell was broken, the previously downright somnolent teenagers hurried outside in a less-than-orderly manner.

"Oh, Jackson. Could you wait a bit? I want to have a chat with you."

And there it was, asking Percy to stay after class to "chat" was kind of a right of passage between his more reasonable, cool, or helpful teachers. He'd heard it all. From "There's no shame in asking for help" to "You're wasting your potential" and even the odd "I know why you're struggling and I can/want/will help/say something/try to be more lenient" a few times before Yancy Academy. Maybe even, once or twice after, but by then he was a well-recorded trouble-maker and overall teacher-annoyance and enigma.

He wasn't really in the mood for another 'chat' but the guy hadn't seemed that irritating type of kind-teacher-that-will-not-give-him-a-break. That and it was the first time he'd get a talk after the Reveal. Who knows? Maybe he concluded that one plus one equals two and Percy is a _demigod._

_That would make a fun conversation, _he thought scornfully.

He still paused on his way out. He still sat (kind of) on his desk and waited until the other students trailed off.

Some guys glanced at him while leaving, with an inquiry in their gaze but Percy nodded at them to _go, it's nothing _and smiled _thanks, though. _Once those guys disappeared and only the two of them were still in the classroom, Mr. Davies closed the door.

When meeting a teacher solo with the door shut, most tended to fidget. They unconsciously classified the situation as tense and uncomfortable. It should be noted that Percy Jackson is not an average or normal high-school student. For a demigod, circumstances like these are almost undeniably a guarantee for a monster attack.

In a smooth instinctive move, Percy's body tensed. His heartbeat quickened imperceptibly and his mouth started drying. Triggering a demigod's fight-or-flight response is a matter one ought to be wary of.

Had Percy been one for logic, he may have realized that all of the monsters were grimly cognizant of what happened when dealing with him shortly after a major battle. They remained rightfully heedful of the greek leader, knowing him to be a fighter that is rarely if ever beaten, even by fellow demigods.

Nevertheless, Percy Jackson has forever been and will evermore be one for the heart and spirit. His body shifted into a subtle defensive position and he felt himself catalog the exits.

Percy was not in the business of getting killed. He favored the nearly-killed option if not-in-more-danger-than-usual wasn't an alternative.

_It's been a while since a "teacher" tried to kill me, maybe the fates wanted me to have a go again, _he mused wordlessly while keeping an eye on his surroundings.

"I'm sorry for the cloak-and-dagger of it all, but I thought you wouldn't mind the privacy," began Mr. Davies. Something in his expression revealed that his subconscious apprehended Percy's defensive position, even if he couldn't consciously pinpoint it.

Slowly, Percy allowed himself to consider the likelihood that the other wasn't the monster of the day.

"First question. Just to verify, you _are_ a demigod, aren't you?"

In a perfect world, Percy would relax. He'd be confident the teacher really _was _a teacher and not a monster. In a perfect world, he'd laugh and deflect the question. '_What do you mean?'_ he'd ask. '_What's a demigod?' _he'd say, feigning confusion. '_Like Hercules?'_ he'd joke, while his insides raged with repulsion at the ancient half-blood.

This is not a perfect world.

If he had been two years younger, he'd tense even more. He'd furrow his brows and push his lips. Then his expression would loosen and so would his body. He'd throw joke about being so obvious to defuse the strain in the air.

At this moment, Percy did none of these things. He didn't tense more, but he knew better than to decompress. His expression didn't darken but he didn't try to lighten up.

This was serious. He needed the teacher to understand that and what better way to accomplish that than with one of Lupa's methods.

Tranquillity and indifference were never his trademarks, though. And despite everything, he still is Percy Jackson.

He smirks, possibly wolfishly but he can't tell for certain and responds with a carefree yet decisive _Yeah._

Davies presented no sign of having understood the lengths of the internal battle the demigod went through in less than a moment.

He nodded but he didn't break the silence. He had a lot to reflect on.

For his part, Percy allowed him to sort out his thoughts. During that short period, the fight-or-flight response went dormant, the tautness started to gradually but undoubtedly bleed out of his form, even though no one other than maybe 5 people could have told the difference.

"Do you want it to remain a secret?" he was asked eventually.

Percy pinned the man with his gaze, this time deliberately. He needed the other to know he was being scrutinized, to know this was important. A few seconds later, he nodded sharply.

As expected, the teacher had tensed under his gaze but relaxed upon his admission.

"I understand that this going to be very odd to both of us and that it's also very important that I don't pretend to know everything. There are only two things I want to suggest, Jackson."

It is merely due to Lupa's training that Percy manages to refrain from snorting at the _'only'._

Instead, he raises a brow quizzically, motioning for the other to keep talking.

"If you ever need to leave classes for any reasons that are...not exactly common though they will start becoming more ordinary until you feel ready, I want you to let me know. Since Principal Brown also knows, I want you to coordinate with us to excuse some if not all your attendance problems."

In all his life, Percy Jackson has dealt with an excessive number of teachers. Most of them were helpful, some of them were mean, none of them were inclined to undermine any rules to help him. It wasn't personal, he understood why, but when this person in front of him decided that he was going to help Percy with the one thing no one else had either volunteered to help with or been able to help with... it meant something.

It had to mean something because he's a veteran and he's the leader and he's trying to help them all and he wanted no reassurances from people who shouldn't be giving them, but he's still Percy Jackson and that has to count for something.

And did count, it did mean something, and for once Percy let himself smile. Not without worries, not naively, but with the sort of mischief and happiness, he wasn't sure he could muster after falling _there._

He let himself smile. And the smile turned lopsided, his trademark. He smiled, not because it was all okay, but because people were _learning _and they were trying to be _better_ and no matter what monsters they kill, the ones will always plague their dreams are the human type.

So he smiled. Because this is progress and because it's what he always does in the face of danger, of _fear. _

He smiles.

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**On the whole editing thing. This week I edited this whole fic so here are the updated versions. I don't think you're missing anything crucial if you don't reread, but you will spend fewer moments cringing. (Did I even know what formating was? Ffs...)**

**I am very proud of this chapter and I'm so happy I managed to write more of this story after all this time. I'm so happy! I hope you enjoyed this!**

**I've had Toshi's quote in my head for a while, to be honest. I'm all caught up in the manga(oh boy I'm not gonna talk about _that_ mess) so I'm rewatching the anime and it just stuck with me from episode 2 or something.**

**Anyhow. I hope you, people, stay safe and don't be too stupid.**

**Reviews are welcome, even though my responses are super late. I'm so happy you humans like this!**

**'Till later!**

**Lydia**


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